Ivy Lab are a British electronic music duo based in London. The project is a collaboration between producers Sabre (Govind Kidao) and Stray (Jonathan Fogel). Their music incorporates elements of

drum and bass Drum and bass (commonly abbreviated as DnB, D&B, or D'n'B) is a genre of electronic dance music characterised by fast Break (music)#Breakbeat (element of music), breakbeats (typically 165–185 Tempo, beats per minute) with heavy Bass (music) ...

dubstep Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the early 2000s. The style emerged as a UK garage offshoot that blended 2-step rhythms and sparse dub production, as well as incorporating elements of broken ...

, halftime and

hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...

History

Origins (2012-2018)

Ivy Lab formed in 2012 as a trio comprising established

producers Sabre, Stray and Halogenix (Laurence Reading), and released their debut single ''Oblique'' on Critical Music in 2012, shortly followed by ''Afterthought.'' Throughout their first years together, the group garnered significant attention in the bass music scene and was named one of the top 10 DJs of 2015 by

Mixmag ''Mixmag'' is a British electronic dance and clubbing magazine published in London. Launched in 1983 as a print magazine, it has branched into dance events, including festivals and club nights. History The first issue of ''Mixmag'' was printe ...

. The group released their debut album ''20/20 Vol. One'' in 2018.

Halogenix's departure and follow-up albums (2018-present)

In 2018, Halogenix announced that he would be parting ways with Ivy Lab to focus on his own projects. Following his departure, Ivy Lab released their next album ''Death Doesn't Always Taste Good'' on their own label ''20/20 LDN''. The release earned notable praise on its range of influences and experimental approach. Ivy Lab's third album ''Infinite Falling Ground'' was released in October 2022. The album was received positively, with critics praising the emotional narrative of the record whilst still retaining their signature abstract sound. Accompanying the album launch, the duo unveiled the ''Infinite Falling Ground'' immersive show in London, before touring the live show to 22 cities in North America supported by Oakk, Nikki Nair, Lake Hills and Sicaria Sound. The A/V show utilized a short film, which was sliced and interpolated with the music from the Album. Fogel noted in an interview that his inspiration for the show originated from a similar concept performed by

The Who The Who are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup (1964–1978) consisted of lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. Considered one of th ...

with

Quadrophenia ''Quadrophenia'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band the Who, released as a double album on 26 October 1973 by Track Records. It is the group's third rock opera, the previous two being the "mini-opera" song "A Quick One, While ...

. In 2024, Ivy Lab released a follow up album titled ''Infinite Falling Ground Pt 2'' which has been described as a "vivid, crystalline dreamscape centered around core precepts of melancholy and parenthood". As with their previous album, the release was accompanied by a visual A/V production by artist Lake Hills, which followed on from the plot of the original whilst exploring the theme of fatherhood.

Musical style

Ivy Lab's initial releases and style were characterised typically as

. Each of the three members had an extensive background in the genre. Stray's production typically incorporated elements from

jungle jungle is land covered with dense forest and tangled vegetation, usually in tropical climates. Application of the term has varied greatly during the past century. Etymology The word ''jungle'' originates from the Sanskrit word ''jaṅgala'' ...

music, whilst Sabre has been noted for his more experimental approach. The group cemented themselves as one of the pioneering artists in the halftime subgenre of drum and bass. Following Halogenix's departure, their music shifted stylistically into more

experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs whe ...

bass music and

, with one reviewer describing the sound as "futuristic halftime fused with hard-hitting drum work". Later releases, such as ''Infinite Falling Ground'' explore more emotional and unsettling musical themes.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays and singles

* ''Oblique'' (2013) * ''Afterthought / Brat'' (2014) * ''Twenty Questions EP'' (2015) * ''Mef:Lab'' (with Mefjus) (2015) * ''Arkestra EP'' (with Alix Perez) (2016) * ''Fortuna EP'' (2016) * ''Peninsula'' (2017) * ''Jetlag'' (2018) * ''Cake'' (2018) * ''Stars EP'' (2019) * ''Orange'' (with Two Fingers) (2019) * ''Hotline'' (with Two Fingers) (2019) * ''Space War EP'' (2019) * ''Gunk'' (2019) * ''Fidget EP'' (2020) * ''Cava'' (2020) * ''Talk To Me'' (with Two Fingers) (2020) * ''Teacup'' (2020) * ''Blonde'' (2020) * ''Soul Sista'' (with Frank Carter III) (2021) * ''Press Play'' (2021) * ''Suzuki/Paradise Pistol'' (2021) * ''NOVV/NASDAQ'' (2021) * ''Everythingmustchange EP'' (2021) * ''Balaclava'' (2022) * ''Dogma'' (2022) * ''Profit'' (2023) * ''Ghost x Dead Signal'' (2023) * ''Demon Dust EP'' (2023) * ''Idols Fall / Snap 101'' (2023) * ''Mild Snake EP'' (2024) * ''Sex Latte'' (2024) * ''OURDOGISMISSING'' (2024) * ''Left With You'' (2024) * ''Blockhead'' (2024) * ''Olo'' (2024) * ''Innocence'' (2025)

Awards

, - ! scope="row" , 2015 ,

DJ Mag ''DJ Magazine'' (also known as ''DJ Mag'') is a British monthly magazine dedicated to electronic dance music and DJs. Founded in 1991, the magazine is adapted for distribution in the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, France, Italy, Lati ...

Best of British Awards , Breakthrough producer , Ivy Lab , , , - ! scope="row" , 2016 , DJ Mag Best of British Awards , Best breakthrough label , 20/20 LDN , , , - ! scope="row" , 2018 , DJ Mag Best of British Awards , Best group , Ivy Lab , ,

References

{{Reflist

External links

Resident Advisor profile
* Electronic music duos British electronic music groups